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Danny is a saxophonist with a jobbing band that play in various cheap locations. One late night after a gig he goes outside the venue to get some air and speak to a girl that has taken a shine to him. Shortly after he witnesses the murder of his band manager and an innocent girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. The violence he witnesses sends Danny on a quest for revenge, which will change his life forever.

Swapping a saxophone for a machine gun, Danny works his way through terrorists that had a hand in the murder of his manager and the destruction that followed. At the same time he tries to keep some semblance of normality in his life, and continues playing with the band and trying to form a meaningful relationship with the lead singer, Dee. However Danny’s journey is fraught with peril and threatens to ruin the relationship he has with his band, plus fail to give him the closure he so desperately seeks.

Moody and dripping with atmoshphere, this was Neil Jordan’s first directing gig and contains themes (troubles in Northern Ireland) that would echo through his following movies. Stephen Rea is brilliant as Danny, fumbling his way through his quest in seeking retribution for the deaths he has witnessed. The police follow and question Danny, but their motives are vague to say the least. You’re never quite sure just what they are trying to achieve and Danny usually finds himself arousing no suspicion whatsoever. The film leaves you with the feeling that revenge is a fruitless endeavour no matter how you go about it. Some things just have a way of going their own way, no matter your efforts to change the outcome.

The acting is great from everyone involved, and the movie displays a dreamlike quality at times, with the music from Danny’s saxophone playing in the background. It’s one I recommend, though it isn’t the bloody revenge type thriller you may be expecting.

When an archaeologist, Dr. George Hacker (Christopher Connelly) opens a tomb in Egypt, he unleashes an evil spirit which latches onto his young daughter. Upon the family’s arrival in New York, a series of grisly murders and strange occurrences begin to take place.

An amulet which is give to the young girl may hold the secret to the identity of the spirit and how the family can free themselves from its clutches. This is certainly a strange movie, and it looks very dated. The effects are certainly ropey in places, which I believe was down to the production company not getting all of the budget they requested.

Lucio Fulci had a good few movies out during the 80’s and a lot of them are cult classics like The Beyond, The New York Ripper and Zombie Flesh Eaters to name but a few. Sadly this is not up there with his greatest hits. That’s not to say it isn’t entertaining, because it is, but it’s just not as memorable. It’s nice to see Lucio Fulci use proper locations to tell the story, rather than wooden sets, and the cast give 100% in every scene.

There is some decent gore on offer, one place where Fulci has always delivered in my humble opinion. I did notice that it stars that annoying blonde kid from Fulci’s other great horror ‘The House by the Cemetery’, and he has an encounter with some scorpions which was hilarious to watch. There is a lot to like about these Italian horrors though. I love the dodgy dubbing over each actors original voice, and the hammy acting on display always makes things fun to watch. The effects are fun too, like the dodgy stuffed birds dangling on wires.

Manhattan Baby is certainly worth a watch for fans of Lucio Fulci’s work, but it’s sure to divide those that love his other movies. Manhattan Baby is available now on DVD from the fine folks over at Shameless Screen Entertainment:

A woman is brutally raped and killed by psychotic Alex (David Hess) late one night. Afterwards he returns to work at a garage where his simple friend Ricky (Giovanni Radice) also works. When a young well to do couple come into the garage asking for help fixing their car and say that they’re going to a friends party, it kick starts a chain of events resulting in brutal murder and unparalleled mayhem.

Ruggero Deodato was really at the height of his fame when he made this brilliantly sleazy movie. Ricky is easily led by the brutal Alex, as he just isn’t that bright, but still has (very) small elements of good in him. Alex however is just pure evil, resorting to satisfying his wildest urges, no matter how depraved. The group having the party are really put through the ringer, and you wonder just what will happen next.

David Hess just really recycles his role from ‘Last House on the Left’, and it’s not really a far cry from many of the roles he played during his career. The makers of this movie were so desperate to have him on board that they actually gave him half the rights to the film. Giovanni Radice plays the part of the simple Ricky very well. With limited intelligence you can see he doesn’t really understand at first the magnitude of his actions, and you feel that he’s mostly doing it to impress Alex. There is a lot of nudity, some full frontal, and the violence is quite brutal. If that’s not your thing then it’s best to avoid this movie. Then again if you’re reading reviews about this movie, it’s probably safe to say that it intrigues you somewhat, and if so then I would say you should give it a go.

The film is over 35 years old, so it is very dated in parts, particularly the fashion, but the content on show still manages to pack a punch. The violence, a lot of it of a sexual nature, is very near the knuckle. The acting on show really is top quality, and really helps in keeping you gripped to the end.

Thank you to Shameless Screen Entertainment for letting me review this movie. It’s available now from their site via the following link:

After his old war buddy is gunned down, private detective Mike Hammer (Armand Assante) seeks vengeance. However as Hammer investigates, he finds that this is more than a case of simple murder.

As the investigation deepens, Mike and his gorgeous secretary Velda (the stunning Laurene Landon), find out that the government are involved and are using mind control to create assassins with the help of a sexual therapy clinic. It’s a bit crazy, but a lot of fun.

Those docs are at it again. Still toying with life after death, doctors Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) and Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) are looking to further their research and not only reanimate death bodies, but to actually create life from a number of parts. Fleeing from a civil war in South America where they have been since the events of the first movie, they have now set up home in a caretakers house next to a cemetery. There they can work in peace, or so they think.

As now there are two flies in the ointment. One is Dr. Graves (Mel Stewart) who has been toying with the re-agent that was left behind after the hospital massacre in part one. Second is Lt. Leslie Chapman (Claude Earl Jones), who has his own reasons for wanting to find out what Herbert West and Dan Cain are up to. Bride of Re-Animator also sees the return of Dr. Hill (David Gale), or his head at least. After being reanimated by Dr. Graves, Dr. Hill tells him he wants revenge on Herbert West.

Dr. West and Dr. Cain however are solely concentrated on bringing together body parts, to give life. However it will not be as easy as they hope, all leading to a bloody showdown with Dr. Hill and his assortment of freaks. This for me was a weaker movie than the first. It just took too long to get going in my book, and resulted in everything been thrown at the wall towards the end, hoping something would stick. I lay blame at Brian Yuzna, who I just don’t rate at all as a director. For me this series should have always been directed by Stuart Gordon, who just seems to understand the material better. Although this is a weak sequel, the worst in the series is Beyond Re-Animator, which is part 3. That film is also directed by Yuzna, having Spain double for America.

This film is not terrible, but in comparison to the first movie it is clearly inferior. There is some great gore and some funny moments with mischievous reanimated body parts. I would say it’s worth a watch if you have a few mates round as I’m sure you’d enjoy it. As always Jeffrey Combs is always worth watching, he just gives his all in whatever role he is in.

A series of grisly murders rocks the area of Tucson, Arizona. Beautiful women have been found mutilated in their homes, some with parts missing. As Detective Mendoza (Art Evans) investigates the crime, his attention becomes quickly drawn to Paul White (David Keith), a local sound engineer that works in the area. As the finger of suspicion keeps getting pointed at Paul, he protests his innocence, but his wife Joan (Cathy Moriarty) begins to see through the façade and uncover some incriminating clues of her own.

Director Donald Cammell (Performance) never directed many movies, before his suicide in1996 aged 62, but his films had a very trippy style all of their own. White of the Eye is full of strange symbolism, mainly focusing on American Indian rituals, and some intense imagery. However the film is not without it’s faults. To begin with, the editing is all over the place. One minute it’s present day, the next it’s showing a flashback scene. Yet the editing is so jarring that at first I was a little thrown as to what I was watching.

The actual murders are not really shown on screen, leaving a lot to the imagination. Instead the director decides to focus on the eye of the killer watching his victims breathe their last breath. The camera also likes to focus on glass smashing, and the splash of wine and sauce take the place of the blood that is also being spilt. It’s not pretentious at all, but instead gives the murders an almost artistic quality. We don’t see the act itself, instead we see what the victim sees, the white of the killers eye.

David Keith plays the part of the opera loving, sound engineer Paul White very well. He brings a raw intensity to the role, really believing his characters place in the world. Cathy Moriarty is also very good as the inquisitive wife, who slowly comes to the realisation that she really doesn’t know the man she lives with quite as much as she thinks. I have to say this however. The actress that plays the child Danielle White (Danielle Smith) looks a tad strange. There’s no other way to put it. The two front teeth unsettled me, you have to see the movie to understand. I watched this movie on blu ray (available from http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk), and the transfer is immaculate. The extras are great and include a feature length documentary directed by Kevin McDonald and also a short film which was directed by Cammell in 1972. All in all a great package for a good film. Also as I was in a retro mood after talking to my buddies at http://www.80spicturehouse.co.uk on twitter, I thought I’d include the old VHS poster below. Enjoy!

When little Judy Bower (Carrie Lorraine), her father David (Ian Patrick Williams) and step-mother Rosemary (Carolyn Purdy-Gordon) become stranded in a storm after their car gets stuck in the mud, they seek solace in a nearby mansion. The owners of the mansion, doll maker Gabriel Hartwicke (Guy Rolfe) and his wife Hilary (Hilary Mason) tell the family they are more than welcome to stay the night until the storm passes. Suddenly another group of people burst into the house from the storm. Ralph Morris (Stephen Lee) and the two hitch-hikers he picked up, Isabel (Bunty Bailey) and Enid (Cassie Stuart) are also told they are welcome to stay the night.

Gabriel tells Judy of the elves that also live inside the house, telling her they are not to be feared as they like to play with children. Judy, who has a vivid imagination listens intently. But as the night goes on Ralph and Judy begin to see that Gabriel is not lying, and that those who would seek to to bad things, will suffer the wrath of the dolls.

Directed by Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator) this film moves along at a fairly brisk pace. It’s also not the longest of films, clocking in at just 77mins. Stephen Lee who plays Ralph does so with a real childlike innocence, which when you see the movie was most probably the point. He brings charm to the role and it’s a shame he doesn’t do more mainstream work. The two hitch-hikers Enid and Isabel are woefully acted, so it’s not exactly surprising that the two actresses in question never made more than 5 films between them. Their English accents are atrocious and one would think they learned their accents at the Dick Van Dyke School of Linguistics.

The SFX of the dolls is actually quite impressive and almost comical at times. There are moments when you see the dolls discussing something that really made me laugh. I think special mention should also go to 101 Films who have done a sublime transfer for the blu ray. Sadly the release is devoid of extras, but is still very much recommended and worth picking up for fans of 80’s horror. This copy of Dolls was graciously provided by the kind folks over at http://www.101-films.com, and is available now from all good stockists.

Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is on holiday at home, looking for some peace and quiet. However Ray’s peace is shattered when he and his neighbours realise that nobody as seen Walter (Gale Gordon) since the new family, The Klopeks, moved in. Together with neighbours Lt. Mark Rumsfield (Bruce Dern) a crazed ex solider, and Art Weingartner (Rick Ducommun), they come to the conclusion that foul play is involved. They begin spying on The Klopeks, believing them to be part of a cannibalistic cult.

Even though the paranoid trio have it fixed that their neighbours are cannibals, Ray’s wife Carol (Carrie Fisher) and Rumsfield’s wife Bonnie (Wendy Schaal) try to convince them it’s all in their heads. Are the guys paranoid? Or is there something far more sinister at work in the basement of The Klopek’s house? The Klopeks are played by Henry Gibson who plays Dr. Werner Klopek, Brother Theodore (Uncle Reuben Klopek) and Courtney Gains (Hans Klopek). They all play their parts wonderfully, really creating an atmosphere an menace, which makes you think that Ray and Co. may not be that crazy after all.

The final third is wonderfully manic. The director Joe Dante is clearly having a ball and really lets rip. This film was woefully under appreciated upon release. The blend of dark comedy and horror really didn’t sit well with audiences. Which I find odd. I first watched this way back in ’91 and I just loved it. I lived in a cul-de-sac just like Ray and his neighbours do, so the whole premise really resonated with me. Mainly because as a kid I was always overly suspicious of everyone. The set used for the neighbourhood is the same one that was used for Desperate Housewives, so some viewers may find themselves recognizing it.

I just adore this film. I make no secret about this. It’s a film that has been in my overall top 10 for years. It’s a film that I never get bored of watching, and one that I feel still holds up to repeated viewings. I find it hard that there is anyone out there who has never seen this film. If there is however, then I strongly urge you to give it a watch. It’s deliciously dark and has some great comedy.

Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel) and Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs) are researching the effect that a resonator has on the pineal gland. They believe that stimulating the gland lets people see a reality beyond our own that is otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Crawford activates the resonator and begins to see strange creatures floating around him. When he is bitten by one of these creatures, he tells Dr. Pretorius to turn the machine off. Dr. Pretorius refuses, telling Crawford that it’s giving him a feeling like no other.

Crawford flees the laboratory and is stopped by the police. When the police find Dr. Pretorius dead, they charge Crawford with his murder. Crawford is committed to a mental asylum where he is then interviewed by Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton). Crawford tells Dr. McMichaels about what happened in the laboratory. Together with a detective Bubba Brownlee (Ken Foree), the three go back to the laboratory to find out what really happened to Dr. Pretorius.

Directed by Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator), and based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, this is one crazy film. It is packed to the rafters of gory and gloopy practical effects. The script and acting are a tad wobbly at times, but it adds to the overall charm and ‘B-Movie’ feel to the film. Jeffrey Combs is always good value for money. He always delivers a solid performance, no matter what the overall film is like. Ted Sorel plays the part of the perverse Dr. Pretorius brilliantly. His transformation into the hideous monster is great, and he delivers his lines with relish. I like Barbara Crampton, but she feels wasted here. She is mostly just a damsel in distress, but she reacts in some strange ways throughout the movie, even getting dressed up in bondage gear during one strange scene.

I have never read the short story that the film is based on, so how faithful it is I couldn’t really say. But as it’s Stuart Gordon and he directed another Lovecraft tale in ‘Re-Animator’ , you know it’s a pretty safe bet for some gratuitous violence and an overall tongue in cheek tone. I really enjoy this movie, however it’s not for the squeamish, so if guts and gore aren’t your bag then steer clear. For the rest of you gorehounds, dig in and enjoy.

It’s the 1950’s. A biker gang stop off at a roadside diner, just to cause havoc. A beautiful girl called Josie comes in to the diner and is set upon by the bikers. She is then kidnapped by the bikers and taken to the town of Hellgate. When they get to Hellgate, Josie manages to get off the bike and run away. However she is chased down and ruthlessly murdered by the bikers. Her father who lives in Hellgate witnesses the murder and kills some of the bikers.

One of the workers in Hellgate is down in a mine when he finds a mysterious blue crystal. The crystal carries a strange aura and has the power to bring the dead back to life. When Josie’s father his handed the crystal, he uses it to bring his daughter back to life. He instructs Josie to lure people to Hellgate so that he can kill them.

Fast forward 30yrs and we are now presented with three college kids telling ghost stories. They are in a cabin near Hellgate and one girl recounts the story to her friends. Another friend called Matt (Ron Palillo) is on his way to the cabin, when he comes across the alluring image of Josie. He stops to ask her if she’s ok, only for Josie to invite him back to her fathers house. Josie’s father discovers Matt and Josie kissing, becoming angry at the sight. Through some stroke of luck Josie convinces her father to spare Matt, leaving Matt to run screaming from the house. Matt tells his friends what happened and they head to Hellgate to investigate.

Now if I’ve made that sound at all interesting, believe me when I say it isn’t. There are so many things wrong with this film that I don’t know where to start. Firstly, the acting is just abysmal. I mean laughably bad. It’s like the cast are just mumbling through their lines, no interest whatsoever. Any attempt at drama or danger is so cackhanded that it’s hard to maintain interest. The script is terrible too, which for me just amplifies how bad the acting is. Ron Palillo who plays one of the ‘college kids’ was 39 at the time of filming, which doesn’t help matters at all. There is some clever gore, but it’s let down by some shoddy effects in other places. For instance when a bat springs to life after being struck by the crystal, you can clearly see the strings holding it up. I don’t know if all of the bad things are intentional, but judging from the director’s back catalogue, I’m gonna guess not.

However if the film itself isn’t quite up to snuff, fear not as there is a silver lining. Arrow Films never fail when it comes to delivering great extras and a sumptuous transfer. The picture is immaculate. There is no grain, and this is just from the DVD version which I tested. The extras are, as always, entertaining and informative. On this DVD we have three interviews. The first ‘Road To Perdition, B-Movie style: An extensive interview with director William A. Levey’ is a mixed bag. This is mainly down to the rambling nature of Mr. Levey. He begins talking about the film, then deviates into a discussion on the Apartheid, as the film was filmed in South Africa at the time. William A. Levey however just lets his brain run riot. He is obviously proud of his movie, though I’m sad to say I don’t share that sentiment.

The second interview, ‘Alien invasion, Blaxploitation and Ghost-Busting Mayhem: Scholar, Filmmaker and fan Howard S. Berger reflects on intriguing film career of William A. Levey’, is not much different in terms of having a rambling individual comment on Hellgate and other movies of William A. Levey’s career. This is not to the detriment of Mr. Waddell, it’s purely down to Mr. Berger, who mumbles and stutters his way through an interview, commenting on things such as how Ron Palillo was oddly cast as the male lead, and how Hellgate is a movie that should be shown to 6yr olds. I agree with the first comment, but not the second. The final interview is more like it. ‘Video Nasty: Interview with Kenneth Hall, writer of the Puppet Master series’. Kenneth Hall comes across as a likeable fellow indeed. He talks about the direct to video era of the mid 80’s to early 90’s where the lesser known film makers had to make do with moderate budgets and instead use gore and nudity to their favour, helping them sell movies that might not make it on story and acting alone. There is a lot to like in the interviews, some great trivia but some questionable topics of discussion too. This copy of Hellgate was graciously provided by the fine folks over at Arrow Films. If you’d like to purchase your own copy, then you can do so over at http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk.